Last Tide
by nayru moon
Summary: 3 of 3 in the Prelude Trilogy. Should have read Waiting For The Moon maybe Uninvited. Lina and Gourry decide they want a child, and hope that they all can live a peaceful life, but will they get the opportunity? WARNING: DEATH!
1. Zelgadis' Departure

LAST TIDE  
  
Nayru: Here it is, the first chapter of the final part of the trilogy. There will be two more chapters after this. I've got no time to make a big long blurb before the beginning, since I've got today to type this up and post it. Here goes!  
  
Disclaimer: Lady Auola, Itai, Atsui, and the Dark Lord are MINE. Alin, Elijah, and Kinsei are MINE. The rest isn't. Go figure.  
  
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"My Lady." Two figures knelt before a very small person on a very big chair in a very big, very dark room.  
  
"You have failed me again." Came the voice of a small girl, cold and angry, from under the hood of her robes. "I tried to get you to split the Ryuzoku and Mazoku. Itai, you were drunk that evening, and failed to keep them from bonding. I try a thousand times to get you, Atsui, to poison the castle's waters. You were caught every time. I try to kill the chimera's wife at her wedding, and try to kill the great sorceress at hers. What do you fools give me?! NOTHING!" She roared. "AND NOW, I'M ASKING YOU TO DESTROY THE BOOKS WITH ANY INFORMATION THAT COULD SAVE THE QUEEN, AND THAT MAZOKU FINDS IT! I DEMAND THAT YOU DESTROY THEM! NOW! NOW! NOW!" The girl was throwing a fit.  
  
"Lady Auola, please forgive us!" Itai and Atsui cried.  
  
"We're coming up with a plan to capture Lina and kill all of her friends." Atsui pleaded.  
  
"I don't care about killing her friends. When my Dark Lord discovers your failures, he'll kill you." Auola cried grandly.  
  
"What failures, Lady?" Came a young boy's voice. Another figure in a dark robe swept into the room. "Your yelling woke me from my sleep." Auola swallowed hard. "I don't care about their failures, as they have one more chance to suceed. We will bide our time. Itai, Atsui, continue spying on the castle, and kill that Mazoku if you see him." The servants bowed, saluted, and ran. "Kara, please don't scare my dollies."  
  
"I won't anymore, Kai-san."  
  
Deep in a forest near the Sailune City, Lina Inverse-Gabriev stared out her window. Two months ago, Zelgadis had announced his plans for a trip to a faraway place to save Amelia. He hadn't even considered going yet. Amelia was sick, and needed him. His devil of a son, Alionel (nicknamed Alin), was a burden on Amelia's tired body. Alin wasn't Lina's problem right then. It was early morning, a very grey morning, but the outlook was bright. A week before, Lina's "time of the month" had come and gone, and she was left empty handed. Gourry and Lina had made a promise to one another the night before.  
  
"We go to the clinic tomorrow." Gourry had said, despite not knowing what a clinic was.  
  
Meanwhile, Zelgadis was tending to a crying baby chimera. He loved his son, but taking care of him was hard work for him and Amelia. He was very energetic. He required a lot of feeding, and attention. Zelgadis didn't mind, he had plenty of time, but he knew Amelia wanted to play too. He was afraid for Amelia, despite knowing Alin couldn't possibly hurt her. Amelia did her part well enough, feeding him and bouncing him a bit, but the bigger jobs were Zel's. His least favorite job: diapers. It wasn't the smell, or the sights, it was the way it had to be done. Zel was very afraid Alin would roll off the table while Zel was trying to get him to hold still. He felt insecure, as a small person had been given to him from heaven for him to care for. His cries were starting to take form and purpose today.  
  
"Da-da, da-da!" He cried anxiously. He wasn't calling for Zel; he was crying out of boredom. Zel quickly transferred his son from the crib to a play pen he'd set up with all sorts of baby entertainment. Amelia was watching languidly.  
  
"Zel, I can't take this." She whispered. "I don't want to watch my son grow up from the sidelines."  
  
"You won't." Zel sighed. "It's time."  
  
"I hate to say it, darling, but it is time."  
  
In the town square, two girls were playing. Their names were Elijah Rubis Del Xoana, almost 3, and Kinsei Sora Ul-Copt Metallium, about 1 and 8 months. They were the closest of friends. Filia and Zangulus watched them with careful eyes from a bench. Xelloss was working on "Mazoku business", and Martina was arranging a birthday celebration for her daughter. Zelgadis approached them as Lina and Gourry arrived.  
  
"Good morning, Lina, Gourry, Filia, Zangulus." He babbled. "I'm going out on the road this afternoon. I need to ask you all a favor... stay in the castle and help take care of Amelia while I'm away." He scuttled off again to continue his hurried preparations.  
  
"Well, that was fast." Lina murmured.  
  
"What brings you two here?" Filia chirped.  
  
"Food shopping?" Zangulus joked.  
  
"Not this time. I'm going to get pregnant." Lina smiled happily. "And finally."  
  
"We're getting a microwave, Lina?" Gourry asked cheerfully. "Cause we can heat food up faster with one..."  
  
"Gourry, I'm not explaining this again." Lina growled. Gourry smiled innocently. Zangulus and Filia laughed. Lina managed to drag him into the nearby clinic.  
  
"Ah, Mr. and Mrs. Inverse-Gabriev." The receptionist chirped. The waiting room was half full. "You're up first. Mr. Gabriev, please fill this while you're waiting for the doctor." Gourry was handed a jar, and directed to a room. He blinked slowly.  
  
"What do I fill it with?" He wondered.  
  
"I warn you, Ms. Receptionist, he's gonna be in there a while." Lina sighed.  
  
Several minutes later, Lina was proved wrong. Gourry return with a full jar. Unfortunately, it was the wrong thing.  
  
"Mr. Gabriev, we didn't require the /white/ sample yet. Now, please try again." Gourry flushed embarrassedly as the people in the waiting room snickered. She handed him another jar, and he went back into the room. By the time he returned, Lina was talking quietly with the doctor. Gourry joined them in his office.  
  
"So you've been trying for several months, with repeated failure, I collect." Lina and Gourry nodded. "Well, thankfully, we've got all the samples we need. A few simple tests, and we'll find your problem." He took out a slide. "Mrs. Gabriev, you sent this sample to me a week ago, and I've already examined it. You are entirely normal." He took Gourry's sample and prepared a slide. He put it under the microscope. "Hm... Let's see..." His eyes narrowed curiously. "Oh, so that's it." He closed the light. "It's a very simple ailment. You have a very low sperm count." Gourry's eyes widened. "It's somewhat common in here, and easily overcome. We simply cultivate the seed in a smaller environment." The doctor took out a test tube, a syringe, and a small jar with a bit of red goo in the bottom. "I enjoy to work in front of my patients, you don't mind, do you?" Lina and Gourry shook their heads. "Well, what I'm going to do is carefully select one of these." He put the syringe into the jar. "Here's a nice one, easy to obtain." He put the bit he'd syringed into the test tube. "Now, we're going to pour all of Mr. Gabriev's sample into it. Well tested, not what all would use, and probably never done on more technology filled planets, such as Earth, or the like. It does work, I assure you. We just wait a few minutes, and it'll be ready." He smiled at Lina and Gourry. "The last step will be putting this into your wife. Very simple process as well. Your period ended one week ago, so your body is at an appropriate time for this." He gently tapped the test tube, and cleaned a needle. Lina swallowed hard. She hated needles. He removed Lina's pants, and cleaned a spot on her adobmen. She whimpered as the doctor sucked the solution into the needle, and came towards her with it. Lina panicked and tried to escape. "Mr. Gabriev, please hold Mrs. Gabriev still, it won't hurt a bit." Gourry grabbed Lina's arms, pinning her to the table she was sitting on. He inserted the needle into the clean spot, and Lina screamed out loud.  
  
An hour later, Lina had managed to recover from the terrible trauma. She had required a good long cry in the bathroom, and a good while of curling up against Gourry and whimpering in a convenient lounge the doctor had set up for "cases like hers". Gourry saw one woman come in the room in the same shape, but Lina was too busy sniffling pitifully. It was obvious what Lina's second worst fear was (her greatest fear being losing Gourry). After some reassuring and recovery, Lina had regained a confident air. She stepped out of the clinic wearing a huge smile.  
  
"So, Lina, we get a baby now?"  
  
"Hopefully, yes."  
  
"And it'll come from the stork?"  
  
"No, it'll come from us."  
  
"Oh... so it'll look like you?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And it'll look like me?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"So it'll be perfect?" Gourry's eyes brightened.  
  
"With a little luck." Lina kissed Gourry on the nose. "Oh, look, it's Zel and Amelia!" Eagerly, Lina dashed up to the group of people crowding around a horse.  
  
Zel was making final preparations for departure. Filia, Martina, Zangulus, and Xelloss were crowding around them. Amelia stood at Zel's side, holding Alin shakily. "I trust you'll be taken well care of, Amelia." Zel was lecturing, as Lina and Gourry joined the group. "I'll return in eight months, or so, and then we'll all be happy. Oh, Lina, Gourry." He looked at the pair. "Right... I guess I better get going." He mounted the horse. "I suppose I'll see you all in eight months."  
  
"Unless we're in the grave, of course you will!" Filia giggled. Zelgadis smiled slightly.  
  
"Say bye-bye to daddy, Alin." Amelia murmured to her son. Alin waved his little hands.  
  
"Buh-byeeee, da-da!" Alin cried grandly.  
  
"Buh-bye, buh-bye!" Kinsei and Elijah chorused.  
  
"Goodbye, Zelgadis!" Lina, Martina, Filia, and Gourry all chanted.  
  
"Bye Zelly!" Xelloss teased.  
  
"I love you, Zelgadis... goodbye!" Amelia cheered. "For all justice, return soon!" Zel rode off, calling back to Amelia.  
  
"I love you too, Amelia, now and always!" He galloped off on the road, going to a place that existed only in one's mind, and the group waved until they saw him vanish.  
  
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Nayru: Like the ending to a good cowboy movie. Too bad it's not the end.  
  
Zel: Why do I have a funny feeling I'm not going to be in the story until the very end?  
  
Nayru: No reason... (hides the plot)  
  
Ran-Ran: Review nicely, everyone. Next chapter will be up when Nayru comes home!  
  
Xiao: Peaceout with the catlike, minna-san! 


	2. Descendant Of Darkness

LAST TIDE  
  
Chapter 2: Descendant of Darkness and Light  
  
Amelia leaned against a cold, snow covered window. Seven and a half months before, these windows were flooded with light. Of course, seven and a half months before, Zelgadis was had been in the castle. She watched by day and night for his return. Right behind her, a warm fire, six friends, and three children beckoned for her to lighten her daily vigil.  
"Amelia..." A gentle hand laid on her shoulder. Amelia whirled around, to see Lina standing shakily before her, smiling. "He won't be back for another month at least, and those fairy springs are pretty hard to find. That window's cracked, you'll catch your death freezing here, or you'll at least get more ill than you already are."  
"He's not going to be back tonight, at any rate." Filia continued.  
"It's too cold around the city for travel. With this weather, he may well not be back until spring." Zangulus added.  
"Oh, you guys are right." Amelia giggled slightly.  
Amelia sat down in her usual spot, next to Filia. She looked around the room. Every single person had a set formation for their nightly gatherings. More often five of them than tonight's six, there was always a chair open. A firm armchair, set in a corner, that Zel preferred always remained empty, as though they were reserving it for him. Xelloss selected a cushy chair that set next to Zel's. Tonight, he'd joined them. He was reading silently, purposefully. Filia's favorite place was in a rocker next to the fire, and Zangulus and Martina liked the couch across from Amelia's chair, which was so fluffy you could fall into it and not get up. That was the reason Gourry didn't let Lina sit in it. He and Lina shared a loveseat next to a large playpen, facing the fire's warmth. She was exactly seven and a half months pregnant, and given the chance to sink into something and not get up, she would willingly take it. Even if it meant missing a meal. The playpen behind them was filled with safe toys and pillows. Three children were in it. Kinsei, 2 and 3 months, Elijah, 3 and six months, and Alionel, 11 months, were sitting in a little circle.  
Kinsei poked Alin. "Lookit, he's cute."  
"Nuh, he's boring." Elijah grumbled.  
"Nah, I think he's cute!"  
"Papa, make the stupid baby do sum-fin."  
"Now, now, Eli, he's only a little baby. He'll learn to do things." Zangulus replied. Elijah poked Alin's cheek. Alin decided to prove he wasn't stupid, and use the funny sharp things he now had in his mouth. He bit Elijah on her finger. She chose to screech and squeal indignantly.  
"Well, he did something." Gourry remarked with a clever smile. It was a strangely quiet night. Most often, the group recounted their many adventures, laughing over every irony that occured, and making remarks on the strange things they had done when they were young. They were all more than ten years older than since Lina and Gourry had first met. They'd all changed. Lina sighed softly. She hadn't sat back down. Gourry looked up at her, quickly adjusting his blond ponytail. "Ready for bed, Lina?" Lina nodded tiredly. Amelia was most surprised at Lina's change. She'd become very quiet and submissive since her third month of pregnancy, when the castle doctor labelled her a high-risk case, due to her being so incontrollably active. Lina had chosen to lighten up on extreme activity. Gourry stood. "We'll take leave of you now. It is almost eleven, and Lina and I have to wrap Christmas presents tomorrow. Christmas is in four days, you know." Amelia almost jumped. She'd nearly forgotten the holiday. "Good night."  
"Good night, everyone." Lina sleepily waved, and she and Gourry left side-by-side. Zangulus and Martina both stood up.  
"We should be going too. It's rather late." The pair took Elijah and left. Filia looked at Xelloss, then at Amelia.  
"I'm going to stay a bit longer. Until Xelloss is finished." Amelia held in a sigh. Xelloss was a nervous wreck. Filia was almost afraid to disturb him sometimes, as he'd once lashed out at Lina when she became curious as to what he was doing.  
"I'm going to take little Alin to bed. Goodnight." She picked up Alin, and slowly walked the halls to her suite. She was simply thankful to the gods of justice tonight that Alin slept all night. She wouldn't be able to handle a midnight cry, no matter how hard she tried.  
  
"The big one's almost asleep, the other one is." Itai murmured to his partner as they waited below Lina's window.  
"We move in now?" Atsui answered.  
"Wait for it..."  
"So, we just gotta kill the baby and her mommy all in one blow?"  
"Lady Auola said to kill the baby. Not nothing about the mommy. We might as well kill them both." Atsui was nervous about disobeying Lady Auola in the very slightest. "Let's go." The pair removed the window from its hinges and slipped in. Atsui took out a big knife.  
"Kill the baby..." He murmured under his breath.  
  
Gourry was dreaming. He saw fire all around him. His world was burning down. He ran down a seemingly endless hallway, carrying Lina. Lina carried something in her arms. Gourry looked straight forward and saw the door, with someone running towards him. That someone screamed something to him, but Gourry couldn't hear it. Just then, a huge chunk of archway fell before him. There was a little bit of open space above Gourry's head, and two hands reached in through it. Lina slowly lifted what she was carrying and handed it to the hands. Gourry whispered, uncontrolledly, "Goodbye, little one." He felt a terrible pain in his throat, and heard Lina scream. He snapped awake.  
  
When Gourry awoke, he saw two figures making a run for it. One carried a bloody knife. The other was hitting him. "YOU IDIOT! I told you to kill them!" Gourry almost ran at them, but his better senses told him to stay with Lina. He looked at her. The evil creatures had stabbed right into her womb. Gourry panicked.  
"Not now, Gourry." Lina whispered, seemingly calm as blood flowed out of her. "For my sake... and our child's... go get Amelia... or Filia... somebody!"  
Gourry leapt out of bed, pantsless and shoeless, and ran down the halls, screaming. "HELP! HELP! SOMEBODY!"  
  
Amelia, Filia, Zangulus, Martina, and the castle doctor all crowded around Lina. Gourry was curled up in a corner, still pantsless.  
"Doctor, you need to help her." Filia almost sobbed. "And Gourry... you need pants."  
"I think you should try and operate on her to get the dead body out. And someone should give Gourry his pants." Martina murmured.  
"Another failure for Gourry and Lina... and of course, Gourry being a half-naked idiot." Zangulus sighed sadly.  
"It's all an evil plan to ruin our lives, I just know it!" Gourry ranted.  
"Gourry, QUIT MAKING ME SO DAMN NERVOUS!" Lina had mustered the strength to shout.  
"I would like all of you to leave now. I think I may be able to save Mrs. Gabriev's baby." The doctor stated. Everyone filed out. Gourry stopped and kissed Lina's forehead.  
"Everything's gonna be okay..." Gourry grabbed his pants and left.  
  
Four hours later, Gourry was sitting right outside the door, waiting patiently. Amelia came to check on him. While the rest of the group had gone to the library to wait, Gourry wanted to be the first to hear any news. He was still staring at the wall. "You okay?"  
"Fine." Gourry grumbled.  
"Oh, chin up. Where's that happy-go-lucky smile, for justice's sake?"  
  
"I'm not so goofy that I don't know when I'm about to lose everything my life is." He almost growled. Amelia knelt next to him and patted his arm.  
"There, there, big guy. Anyway, I recieved word from Zel."  
"Which one?"  
"No, no, a letter."  
"Which? A, B, C, D, E..."  
"No, no, no, a letter, a note!"  
"Do, re, mi..."  
"No, like a card!"  
"Zel's a card?"  
"GOURRY." Amelia gave him a stern look.  
"I know, I know."  
"It said simply... he's almost home." Amelia's face glowed, and she hugged Gourry. "It's so exciting!" Gourry simply hugged her back.  
"Great..." Just then, the doctor emerged from the room Lina was in.  
"Mr. Gabriev, you can see her now." Gourry stood, as Amelia ran off to grab the rest of the group.  
Gourry tiptoed into the dark room. The sun was just thinking of tinging the sky red, but the night sky remained solid blue through the still open window. Gourry saw Lina half sitting up, clutching something to her chest. Gourry approached her, curious. He sat next to her. Lina looked at him sleepily. Smiling, she whispered, "It's a girl." Lina's eyes were softened, like she'd been crying a lot. "She's finally here." Gourry quietly plucked the swaddled blankets from Lina's arms, and looked down into it. "She's got blue eyes, just like you..."  
"And red hair, just like you..." Gourry continued. "She's kinda cute... think she'll have small boobs too?" Lina simply laughed, and Gourry smiled. "She is cute... and perfect... But what do we name her?"  
"What else should we name her? We'll name her Rei." Lina smiled sleepily.  
"Yeah, I like that name..." Gourry unfolded some of the blanket to look closely at Rei. She opened her enormous eyes, and stared at him. Gourry kept one hand behind her head, and held her upright. Shyly, little Rei reached out and touched a strand of hair stray from Gourry's ponytail.  
"Wai..." She whispered. As a new baby, she was too little to make out exactly what she wanted to say or communicate right, so she made a little sound in her throat to say she was thinking something.  
"You can have a ponytail too someday..." Gourry whispered. Amelia, Xelloss, and Filia all waited by the door. Martina and Zangulus were right behind them.  
"Good job, Gourry." Xelloss smirked. "Another girl." Filia whapped him.  
"What's wrong with girls?"  
"Nothing, it's just that his highness will have a tough choice choosing between the three."  
"My bets are all on Kinsei." Amelia joked. "Gourry, can I hold the baby?" Gourry's eyes widened.  
"But there are three yards between you and I. What if I drop her?"  
"The usual fatherly fears." Xelloss snickered. "You won't drop her. And if you do drop her on her head... well, she has you and Lina for parents, so she's bound to grow up a little headscrewed anyway..." Filia whapped him again. Amelia walked up to Gourry and took Rei from him.  
"She's so cute! And she has such pretty red hair!" Lina smiled proudly.  
What do babies think when they're being passed around to everyone, put on display? Only Gourry would ever know what Rei was thinking. She yawned, and simply fell asleep. After all, being born is pretty tough work. She didn't mind being examined by all her mommy and daddy's friends. She didn't mind one bit. 


	3. The End

Last Tide  
  
Nayru: It's kinda late at night, but I'm putting a brief blurb in anyway. This chapter is not the end of my story, despite the title. The tales of the four children will continue soon in a new story, and I think you all are going to love it.  
  
Disclaimer: Slayers is not mine. Rei, Alin, Kinsei, and Elijah are mine. Itai, Atsui, Kara, and Kai are mine. You may ask to borrow them. Yes, SessyRyo, Kinsei is indeed extremely cute.  
  
Chapter 3: The End  
  
It was December 25th. Rei Lyssa Inverse-Gabriev was 4 days old. The group of families were having a quiet Christmas celebration. The enormous tree in the parlor glittered so many different colors, all reflected in the children's eyes. Presents lay at the bottom, including a few for the unexpected guest. Snow was falling over the city. In the parlor, on this midnight hour, every single one of Amelia's friends were gathered. Gourry had carried the bedridden Lina up to join them, and Xelloss hadn't joined them, but had been extremely jumpy and nervous anyway. If anyone made a loud sound when he was around, he'd make for the door. Amelia doused the fire, as the children played with their new gifts. Filia gently ushered Kinsei out. "Kinsei, time for bed..." Amelia smiled at everyone.  
"It's getting rather warm in here, isn't it?" She turned to look out the window. The horror filled her: the sky was tinged flame red. "Everyone, let's get out of here..." The fire bells went off everywhere. "Split off, we'll meet outside!" She grabbed Alin. "Goodbye for now!" She dashed out one door to get her father. Martina and Zangulus grabbed Elijah.  
"See you outside!" They ran, carrying her. Filia dashed down the hall, carrying a half asleep Kinsei. Gourry carefully picked Lina up, and she held Rei.  
"Let's go..."  
The castle was burning much faster than Martina really expected. She heard a loud thump next to her, and turned aside fast enough to see a figure entirely in black stab Zangulus in the side. She screamed, "ZANGY!" It was too late to save him. He was dead. She continued to run, tears streaming down her cheeks. She shouted as another figure in black leapt in front of her. Just then, Xelloss was beside her.  
"Martina, give me Elijah, I'll get her out!" Martina passed her daughter to Xelloss. Elijah waved sleepily, as Xelloss teleported away. Martina barely had time to turn around and scream as the second murderer shot a single arrow directly through her temples. She didn't have time to suffer.  
Filia met Xelloss in the main hall. "Filia, I'm sorry I couldn't warn you." Filia shoved the sleeping Kinsei into Xelloss' arms.  
"Take her, get her out! I'm going back for Amelia, Gourry, and Lina!"  
"Turn into your Ryuzoku form, then you can release some of the smoke with a hole in the ceiling." Xelloss kissed Filia quickly, and just before he vanished, heard Filia's terrified scream. He whirled around to see Filia caged. His purple eyes opened and widened. "FILIA!"  
"JUST GET OUT OF HERE, XELLOSS!" She screamed, as they sent the cage to a different dimension. Mission bound, Xelloss continued running.  
Amelia was both lucky and unlucky. Lucky because the open doors were in sight. Unlucky because her father was already dead, and her body was too weak to make the last hundred yards. She dropped to her knees. "Alin, for justice's sake, go outside and find somebody else... mommy can't come with you..." She set her son down.  
"Uh-uh, mama, stayin' with you."  
"ALIN!" Amelia wailed. Xelloss materialized and grabbed Alin. "Xelloss, forget me, just save my baby!"  
"Miss Amelia... I will." He picked up Alin, who started to cry. "I'm sorry..." Just then, a small figure in black robes appeared.  
"Well, well, so close yet so far. Ready to die?" Kara laughed evilly.  
  
"Go on, injust mistress of evil!" Amelia stood shaking, for a final battle she would never fight.  
"There is no win for you!" Kara threw a huge fireball at Amelia, trapping her. She threw a single blade at Amelia's neck. Amelia didn't even have time to scream before death took her. Alin began to cry louder as Kara ran for an escape.  
Gourry had dreamt it coming. He already knew the outcome. Still, he ran as fast as he could for an exit. The fires swallowed everything. He reached the final archway, he thought briefly he could make it. He saw Xelloss, carrying Kinsei, Alin, and Elijah. His heart sank like a stone as he realized his friends were dead. "XELLOSS!" Lina yelled, seeing him.  
"LINA, GOURRY, COME ON! THERE'S NOT MUCH TIME, THE ARCHWAY'S ABOUT TO- " The archway fell before them. They were trapped. No amount of magic would get them out of this. Desperate, Xelloss thrust his hands over the wall. "Give me your daughter... Just give her to me so she can live!" Nervous, Lina lifted Rei up.  
"Take care of her, Xelloss." Lina whispered. "Goodbye, Rei..."  
"Goodbye, Rei..." Gourry gasped, frightened.  
"This isn't our lives! I'm going to find some way to correct all of this! See you in a new future!" Xelloss vanished.  
"I guess we just wait for death, Gourry." Lina murmured.  
"I love you, Lina." Just then, a single arrow pierced Gourry's neck. Gourry smiled weakly, and let death come, still smiling. Lina whimpered.  
"No, Gourry..." A dark figure materialized in the corner. He was barely three feet tall.  
"Lina Inverse... My name is Lord Kai. I have come to save your life."  
  
"My ass. You started this fire, didn't you?"  
"Yes, but only to get to you." He held a hand out. "Come now, I'll make you famous. If you only let me drink your blood, then I-"  
"And let you have my power? No way."  
"You have no choice, Lina Inverse."  
"Yeah, yeah I do." Lina dragged herself into a huge flame. "I can die. I'm not giving away my body for a life without my soul." She laughed weakly as the flames caught her. "You have taken from me my husband, my friends, and my daughter. I'll be damned if you're taking my life too."  
"You FOOL! DON'T YOU WANT TO LIVE?!"  
"No. I want to be in the next life with my friends."  
"YOU FOOL! YOU'RE A FOOL, LINA INVERSE!" Lina ignored him, and simply laughed as flames consumed her.  
  
Six hours later, Xelloss stood on the barren wasteland that used to be Sailune. Nothing was left to be burned. Syphiel stood near him. "Everything I loved just vanished, except you, Kinsei." He patted his still asleep daughter on the head. The four children were in a huge box. Xelloss quietly tossed a vial of fluid to Syphiel. "You asked me to help you with that. I think that's what you're seeking." He picked up the box. "These four... not even my Kinsei... it's not safe for them any more. I need to take them far away, to that big blue planet they call Earth. You... go inform Luna Inverse and Nagha of these unfortunate deaths. I suppose a memorial shall be put up for these dead." He picked up the box. "Someday, they're going to return... but not to this time. I'm going to stop the cycle before it starts." Slowly, he began to fly away, for the big blue planet. Syphiel waved tearily, and walked away to find inhabited land and give the bad news.  
  
For about three weeks, nobody but those who built a memorial to Sailune travelled a lonely path to what used to be the city. After three weeks, a man on a white horse did. His hair was somewhat messy, and he looked like he'd been travelling for a long time. His skin was a light peach, but with small red scars here and there. A bottle of sparkling water hung around his neck. Zelgadis had returned. He stared at the empty field that was once the city. Nervous, he tied the horse to a pole and began to run for the center of the field. Graves were set in a pentagram shape, each with a name on it. He finally reached the center, where graves lined up in a circle. He read the names out loud, shivering after each one. "Philionel... Zangulus... Martina... Filia... Gourry... Lina... no... no... that can't be right..." The last name was Amelia's. He began to shake violently. He noticed a single pillar with an inscription on it. "Survivors...? Xelloss... bastard... Elijah, Kinsei, Alin... I'll have to go find him... But who is this REI?" His eyes burned at the unfamiliar name. He snapped. "Rei... Lyssa... kill... she caused the deaths... kill... revenge... prevent existance... yes... kill... Lina's daughter... devil child... kill... kill... never... never..." Desolate, Zelgadis sank to his knees and threw his hands to the sky. "AMELIA, IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, I'M GOING TO AVENGE YOU! I CAN'T LET YOU GO BECAUSE OF THIS FOOL CHILD'S HATRED POWER! I CAN'T LET YOU GO BECAUSE OF THAT! NO! NO! NOOOOOOO!"  
  
Epilogue  
  
The year is 1991 in Earth years. It's early morning at an orphanage in a typical Japanese city. A very small three year old with bright red hair and big blue eyes cries. "Nuh, nuh, that's mine!" A bigger girl, almost six, with black to green hair and green eyes, tugs her teddy bear from her hands.  
"Mine now, stupid." The smaller girl wails.  
"'Lijah, she's just a baby." A 5 year old girl with light red/gold/purple hair and purple eyes protests her friend's actions.  
"Let her have it back." A 4 year old boy with light blue skin, wiry blue hair, and blue eyes pouted.  
"Whatever."  
"She's a new kid. We were new kids once too, remember?" The boy smiled.  
"... Yeah. She is a new kid... perfect to corrupt." Elijah gave the little girl's teddy bear back. "We're the Rebels of Socie-funny words. I'm Elijah. She's Kinsei. He's-" She paused to smirk. "-Al Lionel."  
"No, no! One word! Alionel! But everyone calls me Alin."  
"What's your name, little kid?"  
"I'm Rei!" Rei chirped energetically, jumping up and down.  
"Wanna be our friend?" Elijah smiled.  
"YEAH!"  
"Then say the promise like you mean it: I solemnly swear I am not going to follow the crowd."  
"I solemmely swear I am not gonna follow the crowd." Rei chirped.  
"Close enough. Let's play hide and go seek!" The four Rebels of Societistical Conformity were the best of friends for as long as they knew each other. They didn't know their fate.  
  
To be continued...  
  
Nayru: All I have to say is look for "Slayers: Warped" in the near future! I promise you, it's gonna be great!  
  
Xiao: Really, it is! 


End file.
